This invention relates to compositions containing a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer. More particularly, the invention relates to compositions containing a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer, zinc oxide, an aminosiloxane, and antimony-doped tin oxide particles. Such compositions are capable of being cured at lower temperatures compared with conventional fluorocarbon polymer compositions and are useful as coatings, sheets, or films where high temperature resistance is required.
Fluororesins, including both fluorocarbon elastomers and fluorocarbon thermoplastics, are widely used in the form of sheet, film, coatings and laminates in various fields due to their characteristic properties such as good heat resistance, good chemical resistance and good weather resistance. These materials find applications as gaskets and seals in automotive fuel delivery, engine, and powertrain systems, tank and pipe liners, release layers on compression molds, layers on electrophotographic toner fuser rollers or belts, valve stem and rotating shaft sealant coatings, roller and bearing coatings, and sealants for porous materials such as ceramics and fabric, for example. In addition to their characteristic resistance to heat, chemicals, and weather, and depending upon the particular application these fluororesin compositions may also need to provide appropriate frictional characteristics, abrasion and wear resistance, flexibility, processability, and adhesion to a particular substrate.
Polyfluorocarbon elastomers, such as vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene copolymers, are tough, wear resistant and flexible elastomers that have excellent high temperature resistance, but relatively high surface energies, which compromise applications where release properties are critical, for example as release layers on compression molds or outer layers on electrophotographic toner fuser members.
Fluorocarbon resins like polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or fluorinated ethylenepropylene (FEP) are fluorocarbon thermoplastics which have excellent release characteristics due to very low surface energy. Fluorocarbon thermoplastic resins are, however, less frexible and elastic than fluorocarbon elastomers and often require high temperature curing for long time periods to sinter the polymer into a continuous and useful layer or sheet.
Both fluorocarbon elastomers and fluorocarbon thermplastics have been used to prepare high temperature resistant surfaces. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,999,221 describes a process for powder coating a substrate with a fluoroplastic material to provide a heat resistant surface layer. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,919,886 and 6,020,450 describe a room temperature curable fluoropolymer composition containing an organosilicon compound and a condensation accelerator having improved heat resistance and weatherability.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,948,479 and 6,068,931 describe composite materials for self-lubricating slide bearings containing a fluorothenroplastic composite overlayer on a porous metal bearing.
Fluororesin-containing compositions have also been successfully employed in various electrostatographic applications. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,568,275 and 5,599,631 disclose a fuser roll having a layer of fluorocarbon elastomer and a fluorinated resin powder. However, the fluorocarbon resin tends to phase separate from the fluorocarbon elastomer thereby diminishing performance.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,737 discloses a fuser roll having an outer layer comprising cured fluorocarbon elastomers containing pendant amine functional polydimethylsiloxane that are covalently bonded to the backbone of the fluorocarbon elastomer. However, the amine functional polydimethylsiloxane tends to phase separate from the fluorocarbon elastomer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,917 discloses a fuser roll having a surface layer comprising a fluorocarbon-silicone polymeric composition obtained by heating a fluorocarbon elastomer with a fluorocarbon elastomer curing agent in the presence of a curable polyfunctional poly(C1-6 alkyl) siloxane polymer. However, the resulting interpenetrating network (IPN) has relatively high coefficient of friction and relatively low mechanical strength. After a period of use, the release property of the roller degrades and paper jams begin to occur.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,759 discloses a fuser roll having a release coating layer comprising an outermost layer of fluorocarbon resin uniquely bonded to a fluoroelastomer layer by means of a fluoropolymer containing a polyamide-imide primer layer. Although the release coating layer has relatively low surface energy and good mechanical strength, the release coating layer lacks flexibility and elastic properties and can not produce high quality of images. In addition, sintering the fluorocarbon resin layer is usually accomplished by heating the coated fuser member to temperatures of approximately 350xc2x0 C. to 400xc2x0 C. Such high temperatures can have a detrimental effect on the underlying base cushion layer which normally comprises a silicone rubber layer, It would be desirable to provide a fuser member with an overcoat layer comprising a fluorocarbon resin layer without depolymerizing the silicone base cushion layer on heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,923 discloses toner fusing members which have a substrate coated with a fluorocarbon random copolymer containing aluminum oxide. Although these toner fusing members have proved effective and have desirable thermal conductivity, they have a problem in that there can be toner contamination. The advantage of using the cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer compositions is that they are effective for use with toner release agents which typically include silicone.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,035,780 describes a process to prepare a compatibilized blend of a fluoroelastomer and a polysiloxane useful for electrostatographic and liquid ink printing machine applications, The compatible blend is reportedly useful as a component of long-life fuser rolls, backing rolls, transfer and transfuse belts and rolls and bias charging and bias transfer rolls.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,698 discloses toner fusing members which have a substrate coated with a fluorocarbon random copolymer containing tin oxide. Although these toner fusing members have proved effective and have desirable thermal conductivity, they have a problem in that there can be toner contamination.
Commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,041,210 describes a toner fusing member having an overcoat layer including electrically conductive fine powders having a weight percent between about 30 to 80 weight percent. Although these toner fusing members have proved effective in suppressing electrostatic charge build up, they have a problem in that there can be toner contamination.
As evidenced by the above description, fluororesin compositions have been widely utilized in a variety of critical applications requiring resistance to severe or aggressive environments, abrasion and wear resistance, surface lubricity, release properties, and processability. However, it has been extremely difficult to provide a fluororesin composition which simultaneously provides most or all of these characteristics and can be cured at temperatures as low as room temperature. It is toward a solution to this problem that the present invention is directed.
The present invention provides a composition that contains a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer that is easily processed into a coating or sheet having improved release properties, surface lubricity, and mechanical strength. The compositions may be cured at temperatures as low as room temperature.
The present invention discloses:
A composition comprising a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer, a curing agent having a bisphenol residue, a particulate filler containing zinc oxide, antimony-doped tin oxide particles and aminosiloxane, the cured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer having subunits of:
xe2x80x94(CH2CF2)xxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CF2CF(CF3)yxe2x80x94, and xe2x80x94(CF2CF2)zxe2x80x94,
wherein
x is from 1 to 50 or 60 to 80 mole percent,
y is from 10 to 90 mole percent,
z is from 10 to 90 mole percent, and
x+y+z equal 100 mole percent.
The aminosiloxane is preferably an amino functional polydimethyl siloxane copolymer comprising aminofunctional units selected from the group consisting of (aminoethylaminopropyl) methyl, (aminopropyl) methyl and (aminopropyl) dimethyl.
Optionally, the composition of the invention may further contain a fluorinated resin, the fluorinated resin is selected from the group of polytetrafluoroethylene or fluoroethylenepropylene having a number average molecular weight of between 50,000 and 50,000,000. The composition may further optionally contain carbon black.
As will be demonstrated through examples, compositions comprising an unfilled fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer have poor mechanical properties. However, it has been surprisingly found in the present invention that a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer containing zinc oxide filler, an aminosiloxane polymer, and a bisphenol residue curing agent provides a composition having improved mechanical properties. It was particularly surprising that the addition of antimony-doped tin oxide particles to these compositions significantly reduced the temperatures required for curing.
A further advantage of the present invention is that the addition of specific release additives such as fluorinated resins significantly improves the frictional characteristics of the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer-containing compositions.
The compositions of the invention contain a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer that is cured by a curing agent. The fluorocarbon random copolymer has subunits of:
xe2x80x94(CH2CF2)xxe2x80x94, xe2x80x94(CF2CF(CF3)yxe2x80x94, and xe2x80x94(CF2CF2)zxe2x80x94,
wherein
x is from 1 to 50 or 60 to 80 mole percent,
y is from 10 to 90 mole percent,
z is from 10 to 90 mole percent, and
x+y+z equal 100 mole percent.
xe2x80x94(CH2CF2) is (vinylidene fluoride subunit (xe2x80x9cVF2xe2x80x9d)),
xe2x80x94(CF2CF(CF3) is (hexafluoropropylene subunit (xe2x80x9cHFPxe2x80x9d)), and
xe2x80x94(CF2CF2) is (tetrafluoroethylene subunit (xe2x80x9cTFExe2x80x9d)).
The curing agent is a curing agent having a bisphenol residue. By the term bisphenol residue is meant bisphenol or a derivative such as bisphenol AF.
The composition further includes a particulate filler having zinc oxide, an aminosiloxane, and antimony-doped tin oxide particles.
The aminosiloxane is preferably an amino functional polydimethyl siloxane copolymer comprising aminofunctional units selected from the group consisting of (aminoethylaminopropyl) methyl, (aminopropyl) methyl and (aminopropyl) dimethyl.
An optional release additive such as a fluorinated resin can be added to the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer-containing compositions to further improve the surface lubricity of the compositions.
In these formulas, x, y, and z are mole percentages of the individual subunits relative to a total of the three subunits (x+y+z), referred to herein as xe2x80x9csubunit mole percentagesxe2x80x9d. The curing agent can be considered to provide an additional xe2x80x9ccure-site subunitxe2x80x9d, however, the contribution of these cure-site subunits is not considered in subunit mole percentages. In the fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymer, x has a subunit mole percentage of from 1 to 50 or 60 to 80 mole percent, y has a subunit mole percentage of from 10 to 90 mole percent, and z has a subunit mole percentage of from 10 to 90 mole percent. In a currently preferred embodiment of the invention, subunit mole percentages are: x is from 30 to 50 or 70 to 80, y is from 10 to 20, and z is from 10 to 50; or more preferably x is from 40 to 50, y is from 10 to 15, and z is 40 to 50. In the currently preferred embodiments of the invention, x, y, and z are selected such that fluorine atoms represent at least 65 percent of the total formula weight of the VF2, HFP, and TFE subunits.
A curable amino functional polydimethyl siloxane copolymer is preferably used in the present invention and is cured with the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer to produce a material suitable for use in a variety of applications including seals and gaskets, heat resistant coatings for belts, rollers, and bearings, release layers for compression molds and electrostatographic fuser members, etc.
A preferred class of curable amino functional polydimethyl siloxanes, based on availability, includes those having functional groups such as aminopropyl or aminoethylaminopropyl pendant from the siloxane backbone such as DMS-A11, DMS-A12, DMS-A15, DMS-A21 and DMS-A32 (sold by Gelest, Inc.) having a number average molecular weight between 850 and 27,000. Particularly preferred curable amino functional polydimethyl siloxanes are bis(aminopropyl) terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane). Such oligomers are available in a series of molecular weights as disclosed, for example, by Yilgor et al., xe2x80x9cSegmented Organosiloxane Copolymerxe2x80x9d, Polymer, 1984, V.25, pp. 1800-1806. Other curable amino functional polydimethyl siloxanes which can be used are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,853,737 and 5,157,445, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
Preferred compositions of the invention have a ratio of aminosiloxane polymer to fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer between about 0.01 and 0.2 to 1 by weight, preferably between about 0.05 and 0.15 to 1. The composition is preferably obtained by curing a mixture comprising from about 50-80 weight percent of a fluorocarbon thermoplastic copolymer, 5-20 weight percent, most preferably about 5-10 weight percent, of a curable amino functional polydimethyl siloxane copolymer, 1-5 weight percent of a bisphenol residue, 1-20 weight percent of a zinc oxide acid acceptor type filler, 3-20 weight percent of antimony-doped tin oxide particles, 0 to 10 weight percent of carbon black, and 10-50 weight percent of a fluorinated resin.
The compositions of the invention include a particulate filler comprising zinc oxide. The zinc oxide particles can be obtained from a convenient commercial source, e.g., Atlantic Equipment Engineers of Bergenfield, N.J. In a currently preferred embodiment, the particulate zinc oxide filler has a total concentration in the compositions of the invention of from about 1 to 20 parts per hundred parts by weight of the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer (pph). Concentrations of zinc oxide much greater than 20 parts by weight will render the composition too stiff. In a particular embodiment of the invention, the composition has 3 to 15 pph of zinc oxide.
The particle size of the zinc oxide filler does not appear to be critical. Particle sizes anywhere in the range of 0.1 to 100 micrometers have been found to be acceptable. In the examples presented below the zinc oxide particles were from 1 to 40 micrometers in diameter.
The compositions of the invention also include antimony-doped tin oxide particles. These particles can be obtained from a convenient commercial source, e.g., Keeling and Walker, Stoke-on-Trent, UK; duPont Co; or Mitsubishi Metals Inc., Japan. In a currently preferred embodiment, the antimony-doped tin oxide particles have a total concentration in the compositions of the invention of from about 3 to 20 parts per hundred parts by weight of the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer (pph). In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition has 3 to 15 pph of antimony-doped tin oxide particles.
The particle size of the antimony-doped tin oxide particles does not appear to be critical. Particle sizes anywhere in the range of 0.05 to 10 micrometers are suitable. In the examples presented below the tin oxide paicles were about 0.4 micrometers in diameter. The morphology or shape of the particles is not critical, for example, the particles may be essentially spherically in shape (granular) or they may be acicular in shape (e.g., a fiber or whisker).
The antimony concentration of the antimony-doped tin oxide particles is preferably 1 to 15 weight percent, most preferably 3 to 10 weight percent. In the examples presented below the antimony-doped tin oxide particles contained 6 to 9 weight percent antimony.
It was surprisingly found that the addition of the antimony-doped tin oxide particles to the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer compositions greatly reduced the temperatures needed to cure the fluoropolymer. While not wanting to be bound by theory, it is possible that the antimony acts as a catalyst for the curing reactions. Conventional fluoropolymer compositions that do not contain antimony-doped tin oxide parties have curing temperatures that are typically about 220 to 280xc2x0 C., while the compositions of the invention may be cured at temperatures as low as room temperature.
The compositions of the invention optionally contain a carbon black added at a concentration of 0 to 10 parts per hundred parts of the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer. Any conventional carbon black may be used, for example, Thermax(trademark) N-990 available from R. T. Vanderbilt Co.
To prepare the compositions of the invention, the zinc oxide particles and antimony-doped tin oxide particles are mixed with the uncured fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer, aminosiloxane, a bisphenol residue curing agent, and any other additives, such as fluorinated resin and carbon black, and cured. The fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer is cured by crosslinking with basic nucleophile addition curing. Basic nucleophilic cure systems are well known and are discussed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,179. One example of such a cure system combines a bisphenol as the curing agent and an organophosphonium salt, as an accelerator. The fluorinated resins which include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or fluoroethylenepropylene (FEP) are commercially available from duPont.
The curing agent is incorporated into the polymer as a cure-site subunit, for example, bisphenol residues. Other examples of nucleophilic addition cure systems are sold commercially as DIAK No. I (hexamethylenediamine carbamate) and DIAK No. 3 (N,Nxe2x80x2-dicinnamylidene-1,6-hexanediamine) by duPont.
Suitable fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymers are available commercially. In a particular embodiment of the invention, a vinylidene fluoride-co-etrafluoroethylene co-hexafluoropropylene was used which can be represented asxe2x80x94VF)(75)xe2x80x94(TFE)(10)xe2x80x94(HFP)(25)xe2x80x94. This material is marketed by Hoechst Company under the designation xe2x80x9cTHV Fluoroplasticsxe2x80x9d and is referred to herein as xe2x80x9cTHVxe2x80x9d. In another embodiment of the invention, a vinylidene fluoride-co-tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene was used which can be represented asxe2x80x94(VF)(49)xe2x80x94(TFE)(41)xe2x80x94(HFP)(10)xe2x80x94. This material is marketed by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, St. Paul, Minn., under the designation xe2x80x9c3M THVxe2x80x9d and is referred to herein as xe2x80x9cTHV-200Axe2x80x9d. Other suitable uncured vinylidene fluoride-cohexafluoropropylenes and vinylidene fluoride-co-tetrafluoroethylene-cohexafluoropropylenes are available, for example, THV-400, THV-500 and THV-300.
In general, THV Fluoroplastics are set apart from other melt-processable fluoroplastics by a combination of high flexibility and low process temperatures. With flexural modulus values between 83 Mpa and 207 Mpa, THV Fluoroplastics are the most flexible of the fluoroplastics.
The molecular weight of the uncured polymer is largely a matter of convenience, however, an excessively large or excessively small molecular weight would create problems, the nature of which are well known to those skilled in the art. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the uncured polymer has a number average molecular weight in the range of about 100,000 to 200,000.
Curing of the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer is carried out at much shorter curing cycles compared to the well known conditions for curing vinylidene fluoride based fluorocarbon elastomer copolymers. For example, the cure of fluorocarbon elastomers is usually for 12-48 hours at temperatures of about 220 to 250xc2x0 C. Typically, fluorocarbon elastomer coating compositions are dried until solvent free at room temperature, then gradually heated to about 230xc2x0 C. over 24 hours, then maintained at that temperature for 24 hours. By contrast, the cure of the fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer compositions of the current invention may be as brief as 3 hours at a temperature of 220xc2x0 C. to 280xc2x0 C. and an additional 2 hours at a temperature of 250xc2x0 C. to 270xc2x0 C.
In the practice of the present invention, a method of preparing a composition containing a fluorocarbon thermoplastic random copolymer comprises the steps of: